LA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT A GLANCE
The Government of Los Angeles County is defined and authorized under the California Constitution, California law, and the Charter of the County of Los Angeles. It is comprised of a five-member Board of Supervisors, several elected officials including the Sheriff, District Attorney, and Assessor, and numerous county departments and entities under the supervision of the chief executive officer.
The elected five-member Board of Supervisors is the governing body of the County of Los Angeles. It guides policies and services for over 10 million diverse residents. Each Board of Supervisors oversees a district within the County of Los Angeles, each of which contains approximately 2 million people. Members are elected by voters in their respective districts and are limited to three four-year terms. Each Supervisor is eligible to serve a max of three terms, and each term is four years in length.
Here is the list of the current (October 9, 2024) Supervisors and their Districts:
Map of Los Angles County District 1 (Source: https://lacounty.gov/)
District 1: Supervisor Hilda L. Solis
Cities: Alhambra, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, Diamond Bar, El Monte, Industry, Pomona, Rosemead, San Gabriel, West Covina, etc.
Within Los Angeles City: Angelino Heights, Atwater Village, Boyle Heights, Chinatown, Downtown, Eagle Rock, East Hollywood, Echo Park, East Hollywood, Echo Park, El Sereno, Elysian Park, Glassell Park, etc.
Find more information on District 1 here.
District 2: Supervisor Holly Mitchell
Cities: Carson, Compton, Culver City, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach. Inglewood, Lawndale, Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach.
Within Los Angeles City: Adams-Normandie, Alsace, Baldwin Hills, Brookside, Central, Century Palms/Cove, Crenshaw District, Del Rey, Exposition Park, Faircrest, Hancock Park, Koreatown, Mid-City, University Park, etc.
Find more information on District 2 here.
Map of Los Angles County District 3 (Source: https://lacounty.gov/)
District 3: supervisor Lindsey Horvath
Cities: Agoura Hills, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu, San Fernando, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and Westlake Village.
Within Los Angeles City: Arleta, Bel Air, Beverly Crest, Beverlywood, Brentwood, Canoga Park, Carthay, Century City, Chatsworth, Encino, Granada Hills, Lake Balboa, Mandeville Canyon, Mar Vista, Melrose, Pacific Palisades, Pacoima, Van Nuys, West LA, etc.
Find more information on District 3 here.
Map of Los Angles County District 4 (Source: https://lacounty.gov/)
District 4: supervisor Janice Hahn
Cities: Artesia, Avalon, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Cerritos, Commerce, Cudahy Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Huntington Park, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood Lomita Long Beach Lynwood Maywood Norwalk Palos Verdes Estates Paramount Pico Rivera Rancho Palos Verdes, Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill, South Gate, Torrance, etc.
Within Los Angeles City: Harbor City, Harbor Pines, San Pedro, and Wilmington.
Find more information on District 4 here.
District 5: Supervisor Kathryn Barger
Cities: Arcadia, Bradbury, Burbank, Claremont, Duarte, Glendale, Glendora, La Cañada Flintridge, La Verne (portion), Lancaster, Monrovia, Palmdale, Pasadena, San Dimas, San Marino, Santa Clarita, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Temple City.
Within Los Angeles City: Angeles National Forest Hollywood Hills (portion), Lakeview Terrace, Los Feliz, North Hollywood (portion), Shadow Hills, Sherman Oaks (portion), Studio City (portion), Sun Valley (portion), Sunland, Toluca Lake, Toluca, Terrace, Toluca Woods, Tujunga, and Valley Village.
Find more information on District 5 here.
For more information on the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors visit: https://bos.lacounty.gov/executive-office/about-us/board-of-supervisors/
HOW IS THE LA COUNTY GOVERNMENT STRUCTURED?
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Established by the state Legislature in 1852, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors serves a multifaceted role, encompassing executive, legislative, and quasi-judicial functions.
In an executive capacity, the Board acts as the chief executive authority of the County. This includes administering local government operations, overseeing County departments, and managing the County's monthly budget, which amounted to $36.1 billion USD in 2020.
In a legislative role, the Board has a broad authority to safeguard public health, safety, and welfare. They hold the ability to enact laws governing the County by issuing ordinances and motions.
In a quasi-judicial capacity, the Board serves as the final decision-maker in administrative and public hearings. To pass bill proposals, the Board of Supervisors need at least three of five votes.
COUNTY DEPARTMENT AND SERVICES
LA County has over 35 departments, each responsible for various public services, such as health, safety, social services, housing, and infrastructure. These departments range from the Department of Public Health and the Department of Mental Health to the Sheriff's Department and Public Works.
LA County provides a variety of essential services to its residents, addressing diverse needs. These include applying for health benefits like CalFresh and Medi-Cal, registering to vote, accessing real estate records, and signing up to become a foster parent. The county also facilitates reporting critical issues such as discriminatory hate acts, homeless outreach efforts, and more.
For more information on the various departments overseen by Los Angeles County and the services they provide to the public, please visit:
While Los Angeles County is governed by the Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles City Council oversees the City of Los Angeles. Although they have different jurisdictions, responsibilities, and structures, both bodies share the common goal of serving the people of Los Angeles, presenting many opportunities for collaboration. For instance, the Board of Supervisors and the City Council can join forces to create joint initiatives and task forces to address issues affecting both the city and the county, such as public health, homelessness, and transportation. An example of this collaboration is a motion passed by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, to establish an Executive Committee of elected officials to coordinate county and local oversight on homelessness in Los Angeles. This committee includes members from both the County Board of Supervisors and the City Council
Below is a comparison of the differing responsibilities these two governing bodies have in serving Los Angeles residents.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Source: lacassembly.com
DID YOU KNOW THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CAN ADVOCATE FOR THE AAPI COMMUNITY?
With a range of powerful tools at their disposal, The Board of Supervisors plays a crucial role in the ongoing fight against Asian hate in LA County and beyond. The Board of Supervisors governs at the county level, encompassing areas beyond the city limits of Los Angeles. Their responsibilities extend to county-wide services and policies, including public health, social services, immigration services, and criminal justice. They have the ability to review existing policies and enact reforms to better protect the AAPI community from hate crimes and discrimination. Their influential positions also empower them to issue public statements condemning discrimination and endorse educational initiatives that dispel stereotypes while celebrating the heritage and contributions of the AAPI community.
EXAMPLES OF ONGOING EFFORTS BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
2018 LA vs Hate Anti-Hate Initiative
A motion by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Sheila Kuehl passed to protect vulnerable communities in LA County from hate crime. The motion also included a direction for the Commission on Human Relations to create and launch a multi-year public outreach anti-hate campaign, resulting in the LA vs Hate Anti-Hate Initiative.
This initiative aims to
promotes positive messaging on the importance of building inclusion and respect for all County residents and the need to report hate (bias-motivated hostility),
created and manages a reporting infrastructure through 211LA for reporting hate acts, and
supports persons targeted by hate with case management services and resources and targets community responses based on where and with whom hate acts are being reported geographically and by social sector.
2021 Approve Motion to Address Anti-Asian Hate
Continue to address anti-Asian hate in honor of Asian America Pacific Islander Heritage Month, starting with exploring the feasibility of making accessible bystander intervention training for County employees.
Read motion here
2022 Renewed Commitment to Stop Anti-AAPI Hate in LA County
A motion on renewing LA County’s commitment to support the Stop AAPI Hate’s No Place for Hate California legislative package during Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month.
Read motion here
2023 Approved Motion Proclaiming May 2023 as AAPI Heritage Month
The motion proclaims May 2023 as AAPI Heritage Month and directs LA County’s Chief Executive Office’s Legislative Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations branch to support Senator Min’s SB 434 addressing transit street harassment data.
Read motion here
2023 Approved Motion: Inclusion and Equity: Engagement of Non-English-Speaking/ Limited English-Proficient Voters in Los Angeles County
This motion calls for a plan, created by RR/CC with the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiative (ARDI), and the Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA), to reassess vote center criteria with an equity lens.
Read motion here
HOW CAN AAPI ADVOCATES GET INVOLVED WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS?
Identify Your Representatives:
Determine your city councilmember based on your district.
Voice Your Opinions + Attend Public Meetings
Reach out to your elected officials through phone, email, or in-person meetings to share your concerns and ideas. Participate in public meetings of the City Council to stay informed and observe the decision-making process.
The regular meetings of the Board of Supervisors are regularly held Tuesdays at 9:30 am in the Board's Hearing Room 381-B located at 500 West Temple Street in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Los Angeles.
All meetings can be streamed live here.
Engage + Advocate for Policy Changes:
Engage with local organizations to advocate for issues important to the AAPI community.
Organize community events, engage with local organizations, and build relationships with elected officials and their staff to amplify your advocacy efforts.